Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves

"Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" is the first single released by Cher for her seventh album of the same name. It was her first chart-topper as a solo artist in the United States. "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" was the first single from Cher's 1971 self-titled album Cher. The album was subsequently renamed and re-released as Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves after the success of the single. The song originated as a story-song called "Gypsies and White Trash" before songwriter Bob Stone revised it at the request of producer Snuff Garrett. It hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 6, 1971, and it remained there for two consecutive weeks. The single also reached #1 in Canada and the Top 10 in many European countries, becoming the number-one selling single of 1971 at more than 3 million copies worldwide. Today it remains one of her signature songs. The song describes the life of a girl, the narrator of the song, who was "born in the wagon of a traveling show". Her mother "used to dance for the money they'd throw", while her father would do "whatever he could; preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of doctor good". Although the people of the town called them "gypsies, tramps and thieves", every night "all the men would come around, and lay their money down". When a young man is picked up, just south of Mobile, the narrator is 16, while he is 21. Her family took care of him for a while, although her father "would have shot him if he knew what he'd done". Three months later, the narrator describes herself as a "girl in trouble", and her young man has disappeared. Echoing the beginning of the song, her own daughter was "born in the wagon of a traveling show", while her mother, the narrator herself, dances "for the money they'd throw". The title of this song has also been shown with alternate spellings of "Gypsys" / "Gypsies". The lyrics of the song are often ridiculed for their claim to have "picked up a boy just south of Mobile", the idea being that "just south of Mobile" is somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, there are at least six small communities directly south of Mobile on the west side of the bay, and twice that many on the east side.

[Verse 1] I was born in the wagon of a travellin' show My Mama used to dance for the money they'd throw Papa would do whatever he could Preach a little gospel Sell a couple bottles of doctor good [Chorus] Gypsys, tramps and thieves We'd hear it from the people of the town They'd call us gypsies, tramps and thieves But every night all the men would come around And lay their money down [Verse 2] Picked up a boy just south of Mobile Gave him a ride, filled him with a hot meal I was sixteen, he was twenty-one Rode with us to Memphis And Papa would'a shot him if he knew what he'd done [Chorus] Gypsys, tramps and thieves We'd hear it from the people of the town They'd call us gypsies, tramps and thieves But every night all the men would come around And lay their money down [Bridge] I never had schoolin' but he taught me well With his smooth southern style Three months later I'm a gal in trouble And I haven't seen him for a while, oh I haven't seen him for a while, oh [Verse 3] She was born in the wagon of a travelin' show Her Mama had to dance for the money they'd throw Grandpa'd do whatever he could Preach a little gospel Sell a couple bottles of doctor good [Chorus] Gypsys, tramps and thieves We'd hear it from the people of the town They'd call us gypsies, tramps and thieves But every night all the men would come around And lay their money down [Chorus] Gypsys, tramps and thieves We'd hear it from the people of the town They'd call us gypsies, tramps and thieves But every night all the men would come around And lay their money down